2015-03-03T20:30:30ZLow Cloud Point Biodieselhttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/54822
Low Cloud Point Biodiesel
Johnson, Shanti Christopher
The synergetic interplay between the removal of saturated methyl esters and the addition of deoxygenated fatty acids on depressing the cloud point temperature of biodiesel was investigated in this study. Canola biodiesel was produced in batch as a standard with a cloud point of 1.37 +/- 6.3°C. Saturated methyl esters were removed from the standard via urea fractionation resulting in a low saturate biodiesel with a cloud point of -21.06 +/- 0.5°C. Heptadecene was used as a standard for the major products produced from the deoxygenation of saturated fatty acids. Heptadecene was blended in ratios of 1 to 5 wt% in both the standard and low saturate biodiesel. The standard biodiesel blended with heptadecene did not show any statistically significant shift in the mean cloud point over the range. The low saturate biodiesel blended with heptadecene showed statistically significant deviations from the mean at 2, 4, and 5 wt%. A pseudo-eutectic system was observed between heptadecene and low saturate biodiesel with a minimum cloud point of -25.16 +/- 2.5°C at 2 wt% Heptadecene.
2014-06-04T00:00:00ZDoes combining moss and Sedum improve functional performance of green roofs in the Pacific Northwest?http://hdl.handle.net/1957/52730
Does combining moss and Sedum improve functional performance of green roofs in the Pacific Northwest?
VanHoosen, Amelia
There are a number of problems associated with urban expansion and as cities continue
to grow the integration of green roofs can help to ease and offset many of them. This study
uses a combination of moss and Sedum as vegetation for experimental green roof sections in
order to test its ability to improve functional performance of green roofs under weather
conditions similar to that of the Pacific Northwest. Varying degrees of differences in potential
functional performance were found between each of the treatments. The combination of moss
and Sedum showed the capacity to provide improved functional performance as green roof
vegetation in the Pacific Northwest.
Thesis author: Amelia VanHoosen
Presentation authors: Amelia VanHoosen, John Lambrinos, and Dennis Albert
2014-06-09T00:00:00ZBait and Trap Design Preferences for Drosophila suzukiihttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/52499
Bait and Trap Design Preferences for Drosophila suzukii
Marcus, Monica H.
Knowledge of Drosophila suzukii's preference for an attractive trap design and bait can be
used to improve detection and management of this new invasive fruit pest. Desired trap and
bait attributes include: high D. suzukii capture and species specificity; early-season detection
prior to significant crop damage; higher capture of females than males; limit escapage from
trap; and a positive response to seasonal changes in population, landscape, and weather.
Bait trials were replicated 3-4 times in 4 different host crops, including: 'Spartan' cultivar
blueberries on a no-spray farm (Benton Co. Oregon); a wild 'Himalaya' blackberry perimeter
adjacent to a diversified, organic-certified farm (Benton Co., Oregon); no-spray Early
'Burlette' cultivar cherries on a diversified, organic-certified farm (Benton Co., Oregon); and
organic 'Nleeker' cultivar raspberries on an organic-certified farm (Whatcom Co.,
Washington). Baits included: apple cider vinegar, Chinkiang vinegar, Saccharomyces cerevisiae
yeast, Hanseniaspora uvarum yeast, BioLure®, Torula Yeast Pellets®, Monterey Insect Bait®,
Suzukii Trap®, and a 4-compound (acetic acid, methionil, acetoin, and ethanol) lure. Each
bait was placed in a 950 mL side-mesh entry clear cup trap. Chinkiang vinegar and H.
uvarum-baited traps had consistently high D. suzukii counts in all crop types tested. Suzukii
Trap® baited traps had promising results; however, factors such as humidity and bait
evaporation affected captures in blueberry and blackberry crops. Consistently, Torula Yeast
Pellets® baited traps had low efficacy, and BioLure® and Monterey Insect Bait® baited traps
showed little to no efficacy. Traps with the 4-compound lure yielded moderate trap catch
relative to other baits, but showed the highest specificity to D. suzukii across the season.
During the late-season period, traps baited with apple cider vinegar showed increased D.
suzukii capture compared to observed early-season counts. Early-season Drosophila species
captures were primarily other Drosophila species (66 - 100%), whereas late-season captures
were 90 - 95.5% D. suzukii. The gender distribution of D. suzukii shifted from higher counts of
females early-season to higher counts of males late-season.
Trap designs varied in color, entry type (mesh vs. hole), trap volume, bait surface area, and
headspace (area between bait surface and entry holes). Designs were replicated 4 times and
tested in the wild 'Himalaya' blackberry perimeter described above. Each trap contained a
Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast/sugar solution. Traps with higher trap captures of D. suzukii
had a low volume between the surface of the bait and the entry holes and a high volume
between the entry holes and the trap top. Three traps that captured the highest numbers of
D. suzukii overall were: 1) "Clear 20-Hole" (950 mL; 20-holes; clear cup), 2) "Squatty Botty
Fly Trap" (1183 mL; side-mesh; red-yellow-black vertical stripe cup), and 3) "Lucky 13" (530
mL 13-hole; red cup). Increased entry area improved trap catch, and color did not appear to
impact capture. However, traps supplemented with a killing agent placed inside the lid
revealed significantly more D. suzukii than traps without.
2014-09-05T00:00:00ZEcosystem Analysis of Wetland and Riparian Zone restoration at the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge over Twenty Yearshttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/50738
Ecosystem Analysis of Wetland and Riparian Zone restoration at the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge over Twenty Years
Reis, Schyler Ainsworth
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge (HMNAR) established in 1936, is 101,000 ha in area. The refuge was grazed by domestic livestock from the 1870s until their exclusion in 1990. Just prior to removal of livestock, photopoints were taken at various riparian and wetland locations throughout the refuge to document riparian condition following decades of use by domestic livestock. The objective of this study was to relocate and rephotograph these photopoints, collect associated stream channel data, estimate the change in channel width and depth and quantify stream side vegetation composition. Photopoints (N=23) with sufficient distinct background features necessary to allow relocation were selected. Of the 23 photopoints, 13 pairs of stream channel data could be quantified using field data (current) and images (historical and current). In historical photos heavy use of riparian areas by livestock was evident. There were large areas of bare ground cover associated with trampling damage, and the stream banks were highly eroded. Following 21 years of livestock rest there is a dramatic reduction in exposed banks, a return of stream side vegetation including willows (Salix spp.), and a widening of riparian vegetation zone. In the uplands there are encroachment of Western Juniper (Juniperus occidentalis). Over twenty years of cattle exclusion has lead to dramatic changes in stream channel width to depth ratios. The mean width to depth ratio of the remnant channels were found to be much higher (mean 16.75, SD 13.48) than the current channel's ratio (mean 4.19 2.47, p= 0.007). The mean width of remnant channels were found to be much higher(mean 7.6m) than the current channels width(mean1.2m), a reduction of 84%. Current mean streamside vegetation composition of understory vegetation is as follows (N=17): Bare ground: 4.8%, Litter: 21.7%, Forbs: 16.4%, Grasses: 22% and Sedges:34.1%.
Presentation entitled : Ecosystem Analysis of Wetland and Riparian Zone restoration at the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge over Twenty Years / by Schyler Reis, Lisa Ellsworth and J. Boone Kauffman
2014-06-06T00:00:00Z